The Value of Will
by LadyPorpoise
Summary: Elrond feels incensed on behalf of one of his patients after an orc attack...bringing to light memories of his childhood he rather not think about. But it is a reality of how vile and cruel the enemy can be. With the king wanting his thoughts on the upcoming Alliance to defeat Sauron once and for all...the king learns some things he wishes he didn't have to know too.


_A/N Man...I feel really freaking rusty. I feel weird posting something here again, so I am nervous a little. .-. Also...this is another fiction where I am like "...Do I put it in the right category, or do I put it in the Lord of the Rings category because more people are likely to read it." I decided to do it in the right category._

_I apologize if this is all over the place...I may go in depth of the topic somewhere else with Maedhros in Angband..._

* * *

Elrond exited the healing halls in Lindon, giving a soft exhale when he was a fair distance away from it and out of earshot. The lord of Imladris took time to digest and process what he both saw and heard, especially the unpleasant memories that the topic brought up. At first, he went to a balcony. He stared long and hard at the ocean and the city of Mithlond and found no peace from it. Then Elrond remembered that he would speak to the king about it, and now he half regretted saying that, knowing full well there was more he wanted to tell Ereinion aside from this attack.

Things from the past Elrond tended to shy away from all the time.

Elrond was visiting per Ereinion Gil-Galad's request, leaving Erestor and Glorfindel in charge of the Valley. Minas Ithil had been overthrown, and Isildur came to Elendil. Ereinion and Elendil lately have been discussing a plan of action against Sauron, and the elf-king wanted Elrond's thoughts on all of it.

Well…Elrond knew they should not wait, and after _this_, it is only a matter of time before the orcs would swarm Eriador again like they did during the War of Eregion.

Young soldiers-_children_, as far as Elrond was concerned, they only just reached their first century-did their first tasks in service to their king, only to be assaulted by a pack of orcs. Only a couple of elves died in the attack, others were injured or disfigured. These the peredhel saw to and listened to their tale. Elrond did not miss the quaking in their frames and the stutter of their voice-especially the one who lost an eye.

One soldier though, comatose, was who brought forth unpleasant thoughts and memories in Elrond.

Elrond saw the red and discharge coming out of one eye; saw how swollen and bloody his brain was as the healer removed a part of his skull to ease the swelling. Elrond remembered when he himself was young snooping in the Fëanorian camp, finding records and theories he wished now he did not know.

Remembered what Maedhros said behind closed doors to Maglor.

Elrond shook his head. He blinked out of his thoughts and found himself outside where Ereinion was said to be.

Ereinion did not need to be told that Elrond was standing outside the threshold. The king could feel the peredhel's presence easily. "Ah, Elrond, how nice of you to come to see me finally."

Elrond appreciated the warmth and usual pleasantries that made Ereinion…Ereinion. Unchanging, a strong and wise leader. He reminded Elrond of Elros…too much, at times.

Though Ereinion may as well be his brother at this stage of their lives.

"I had some delays," the half-elf answered.

Immediately the pleasantry dropped. Ereinion _knew_ that hint of depressed thoughtfulness in Elrond's voice anywhere. "What is it you come to tell me?"

"Orcs are near the borders again, not in large numbers mind you…but they will grow if left unchecked."

"They will not be for much longer," Ereinion replied. "If we can remove their driving force, then they have no one to guide them. The occasional orc pack is nothing new…" the king stopped. "But that is not all of it, is it?"

Elrond did not have to continue. He said what he had to. But this bothered him immensely, and who better to confide with than one of the people he could trust readily?

Ereinion frowned with Elrond's continued silence, though he waited patiently, understanding Elrond's reclusive tendencies with personal matters. The fact the peredhel even spoke about those things were impressive and insightful.

"They do not deserve this," Elrond finally stated. "I understand the importance of needing a strong army, of vigorous youth…But to be robbed of that much so quickly, hardly out of childhood…" The vehemence in his voice grew as he spoke.

"It is a risk," Ereinion replied, calm. "War is a massive risk-"

"The orcs robbed someone of their free will," Elrond interrupted, aggravated. "Just like what Morgoth did to the captured elves in the First Age."

Ereinion was stunned into silence-anger, grief, and other emotions flashed across his face.

Elrond sighed and calmed down. He walked somewhere else to ease some of that nervous energy. "…They had records. The Fëanorians retained and kept records of thralls they met. Maedhros I suppose was more sympathetic and merciful to them than a majority of the elves, to let them stay."

"We met escaped thralls as well. Gwindor was one of them when he came back to Nargothrond." Ereinion answered.

"I know," Elrond sounded weary amidst his anger. "Most in Beleriand rejected them because they thought them to be spies for Morgoth. But no one ever wondered how they became that way."

Ereinion had nothing to say to that.

"My curiosity got the best of me. I found those records: read what the thralls said was done to them, when they had the courage to speak about it. Only two gave their accounts, as they all were ashamed."

Ereinion was staring at the peredhel with a certain look.

Elrond eventually caved in. "…It was by accident that I found out Maedhros was given the same treatment."

* * *

_The elfling ran through the building, unable to shake the feeling of disturbance or the images his mind was conjuring up. Elrond felt like crying, and he tried to find Elros. Still reeling from the shock of being abandoned by his blood parents, stuck with a bunch of strangers, it was too much._

_Elrond heard his supposed guardians nearby. The redhead's voice was rising in his vain attempt to believe this would work. That their goals were not falling apart before their eyes. The minstrel sounded teary, as he was done with all this. All the pain and grief; he wanted it all to stop._

_"Nelyo, they will not come back if they have not answered yet. Is it really worth it? The last of the Ambarussa are gone, Elwing flew away with the Silmaril-"_

_"I know what happened, Makalaurë! I refuse to believe yet another pair does not value the lives of their offspring as much as they should! What good thing will the gem do for them? Thieves, uncompassionate fools!"_

_"We deserve this-"_

_"Let them stab my brain through the eye again if we deserve this, Makalaurë! Let them take your hand and destroy your ability to sing." Elrond heard the tall one's voice waver. "I refuse defeat. I will not accept defeat in light of their cruelty."_

_"Then you will have to accept the consequences of our own cruelty," the minstrel answered quietly, and Elrond-frozen, saw him emerged into the hallway._

_Elrond had tears coming down his face long before he saw the adult towering over him. Maglor stared at the child with grief. "I am sorry you had to hear that," he whispered and took Elrond into his arms._

_Elrond got no sleep at all that night._

* * *

Elrond lived in the past while he explained to the king what the enemy did to elves…An old pain rising in his chest as he suddenly missed his foster father strongly. While he loved Maedhros too, the elder son did not hold the same place as Maglor did in the peredhel's mind.

So much that Elrond unashamedly wore the star of Fëanor in his ceremonial robes.

Ereinion appeared ill with the explanation, shame in his own prejudice, and anger at learning more about the vile actions the devils of the world did to the children of Eru. "…I imagine that among all the other atrocities done to him, that and the despair drove him to the end. Having your mind messed with a spike…"

Maedhros to date suffered more than any other among elven kind.

"My lord," Elrond turned to a formal route. "You have my full agreement to pursue Sauron's true demise. Not that I would have disagreed with you before, though considering this…We cannot let his cruelties continue. It would not surprise me that Sauron took elves from Eregion and took their will away, to breed more orcs."

Ereinion _really_ did not want to think about that and the devastation Eriador suffered due to Sauron coming out of the south and destroying Eregion. "Then we will proceed with the alliance soon." The king answered in the same formal conduct.

Elrond bowed his head in response.

"Elrond," Ereinion added as an afterthought. "You have too much in that mind of yours that you keep stored up. I know you have knowledge that would be very useful to us if you opened up more often."

"Things I am cursed to know, when I rather not know," Elrond smiled sheepishly, though his eyes still spoke of the sadness of what they just spoke of.

"You would feel better if you did talk more, even if you do not like talking about it." Ereinion sighed. "We just have to hope he will recover from it, as you said it is possible."

"Gwindor and Maedhros did." Elrond turned to leave. "I will meet with you later in the day or tomorrow, my lord."

"You have a big heart. I admire your compassion." Ereinion commented. "Make sure you keep that…"

Elrond walked down the hall again. He did feel better now…but the sadness remained. He would check on the injured party over the next few days.

Alone, Ereinion mulled over what he was told, again feeling many negative emotions. And then thought about the upcoming war. That feeling of not returning from it rose from the depths once more…

* * *

_...Lobotomy is bad...bad enough that it isn't too unreasonable that Morgoth/Sauron would use that. :(_


End file.
